Reverse Osmosis Filter

There are basically two ways to remove chlorine from water. One is a better alternative than the other. But, if you are concerned about removing chlorine from water, you should know that any time a chemical is used for disinfection, hazardous byproducts are released. So, in addition to learning how to remove chlorine from water, you also need to learn how to remove those hazardous byproducts.

Chlorination is the method of choice to kill bacteria and keep the pipes clear of algae for treatment centers around the world and even for some well-owners. There are many drawbacks to chemical disinfection.

The chemicals cause stomach upset and digestive disorders. Depending on the levels, the chemicals can cause anemia in children. Inhaling the fumes aggravates respiratory ailments and triggers asthma attacks.

Showering in chlorinated water aggravates skin conditions such as eczema. It also causes itching and excessive dryness in people with otherwise normal skin. It dries out the hair. It can cause rashes and many people are simply allergic to the chemical.

So, it is important to remove chlorine from water, but there are other important steps to take. The byproducts of chlorination increase our lifetime risk for cancer of the bladder and the colon.

The more we are exposed to the byproducts, the greater our risk becomes. When you were a child, your parents may have been concerned about removing chlorine from water. But, the health risks of exposure to the by products was unknown.

It was not until the Freedom of Information Act that Americans began to learn more about what exactly is in the public supplies around the country. Although some scientists and physicians tried to publish papers concern the risks of chlorination, respected journals would not publish the results.

Some researchers published their own books, in order to get the word out. But, the books were largely ignored. It has only been within the last five years that we knew, for a certainty that disinfection by-products cause cancer.

We know how to remove chlorine from water. All it takes is carbon. The two methods that I mentioned at the beginning of this article are granulated active carbon or GAC and carbon blocks.

GAC cannot remove THMs, which are the primary chlorination by products. Carbon blocks can be constructed to remove THMs. They can also remove volatile organic compounds, which are present in many water supplies, but facilities don't test for them, since there is no requirement to do so.

If properly constructed, a carbon block can remove chlorine from water, along with THMs and microscopic cysts. The EPA has warned that cysts may be present in any public or private supply at any time. Without constant testing, there is no way to determine whether or not you are at risk.

If consumed, cysts cause illnesses similar to food poisoning, but the infection can be lethal. A carbon block with a submicron porous structure can remove cysts, while removing chlorine from water and reducing your risk of cancer. That's the system you should look for.